1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable wireless terminal, and a battery pack locking device detachably mounted to the back surface of a terminal body in such a portable wireless terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a portable wireless terminal carries a battery pack mounted to the back surface of its terminal body as a power supply source. The battery pack is maintained in a locked state by a locking device provided at the terminal body.
The mounting of the battery pack is achieved using a method in which the battery pack is locked to the terminal body at one end thereof as it comes into close contact with a seat surface of the terminal body under the condition in which a support protrusion formed at the other end of the battery pack is engaged with a support groove formed at the terminal body, or a method in which the battery pack is locked to the terminal body as it slides along guide ribs formed at the back surface of the terminal body.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable wireless terminal equipped with a conventional battery pack locking device denoted by the reference numeral 16 in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the portable wireless terminal equipped with the conventional battery pack locking device 16 carries the battery pack 14 mounted to the back surface of a terminal body 10 consisting of lower and upper casing frames 11 and 12. That is, the battery pack 14 is mounted to the lower casing frame 11.
A seat surface 13 is formed at the back surface of the lower casing frame 11. Connecting terminals are protruded from the seat surface 13 at one end of the seat surface 13. The locking device 16 is installed at the lower casing frame 11 near the other end of the seat surface 13.
One or more support protrusions 15 are formed at one end of a surface of the battery pack contacting the seat surface 13 of the terminal body 10 so that they are engaged with one end of the terminal body 10. Although not shown, support grooves are formed at the back surface of the terminal body 10 so that they receive the support protrusions 15, respectively.
The procedure of mounting the battery pack 14 having the above described structure to the terminal body 10 is carried out as follows. That is, the support protrusions 15 of the battery pack 14 are first inserted into the support grooves formed at the back surface of the terminal body 10. Thereafter, the battery pack 14 is pivotally moved about the support protrusions 15 until it comes into close contact with the seat surface 13 of the terminal body 10. When the battery pack 14 comes into close contact with the seat surface 13, a hook 17 included in the locking device 16 is engaged with a groove (not shown) formed opposite to the support protrusions 15. Thus, the battery pack 14 is firmly locked to the terminal body 10 by the support protrusions 15 and hook 17.
On the other hand, when the battery pack 14 is to be separated from the terminal body 10, the locking device 16 is first moved in a longitudinal direction of the terminal body 10 until its hook 17 is separated from the associated groove of the battery pack 14, thereby causing the battery pack 14 to be separated from the locking device 16. When the support protrusions 15 are then separated from the terminal body 10, the battery pack 14 is separated from the terminal body 10.
However, the above mentioned battery pack locking device having a vertically detachable structure has a drawback in that when the user moves the locking device along a horizontal plane, using his fingertip, to release the locking device, the fingernail may be damaged. In severe cases, the user may be injured. Furthermore, there is a limitation in designing the appearance of the portable wireless terminal because the groove should be formed at the lower casing frame in order to provide a space for allowing the horizontal movement of the locking device.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a portable wireless terminal equipped with another conventional battery pack locking device denoted by the reference numeral 27 in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the portable wireless terminal equipped with the conventional battery pack locking device 27 carries a battery pack 24 mounted to a terminal body 20 consisting of lower and upper casing frames 21 and 22.
A seat, surface 23 is formed at the lower casing frame 21. The locking device 27 is installed at the lower casing frame 21 near one end of the seat surface 23. One or more guide ribs 26 are formed at each longitudinal edge of the seat surface 23 in order to guide the battery pack 24 to the locking device 27. Similarly, one or more engagement ribs 25 are formed at each longitudinal edge of the battery pack 24 so that they are engagable with the guide ribs 26.
The locking of the battery pack 24 to the portable wireless terminal having the above described structure is achieved by bringing the battery pack 24 into close contact with the seat surface 23, and then horizontally sliding the battery pack 24 toward the locking device 27 installed at one end of the seat surface 23, thereby bringing the battery pack 24 into close contact with the locking device 27. When the battery pack 24 comes into contact with the locking device 27, it causes the locking device 27 to move vertically. When the battery pack 24 comes into close contact with the locking device 27, a hook 28 included in the locking device 27 engages a groove (not shown) formed at the battery pack 24, thereby preventing a separation of the battery pack 24 from the portable wireless terminal. On the other hand, the separation of the battery pack 24 from the seat surface 23 is achieved by horizontally separating the battery pack 24 from the locking device 27 while depressing the locking device 27, and then lifting the battery pack 24.
However, the battery pack locking device having the above mentioned structure has a problem in that the guide ribs and engagement ribs respectively formed at the seat surface and battery pack are easily abraded, so that it is difficult to maintain the close contact state of the battery pack, thereby causing the power supply to the terminal to be unstable.